28 Mar How to get help paying for an adoption

Paying for an adoption can comprise many details

Adopting can be expensive. But there are grants, loans and tax credits available for prospective parents to help defray the cost of adoption.

Tennessee, for example, offers parents up to $1,500 per child to help pay for non-recurring adoption expenses for children adopted through the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services.

To qualify for the subsidy, the child must meet the state’s definition of special needs and be in the custody of the state of the DCS or a Tennessee-licensed child-placing agency, immediately the adoption.

And the state’s definition of a “special needs” adoptive child covers just about any need or barrier to placement. The criteria include: 

• Nine years of age or older and Caucasian
• Two years of age or over and of minority heritage
• Member of a sibling group of two or more children placed together at the same time, with the same family for the purpose of adoption at the same time
• Moderate to severe medical, physical or psychological condition, as diagnosed by a licensed by a physician, psychologist or licensed mental health professional and the identified condition requires treatment
• Life experiences include neglect, physical abuse and/or sexual abuse that can be described as ‘Severe Abuse’
• Three or more consecutive years in Tennessee DCS custody
• Has a medically diagnosed disability which substantially limits one or more major life activities, requires professional treatment, and assistance in self-care
• Is diagnosed to be mentally challenged by a qualified professional
• Is diagnosed by a qualified professional to have a behavioral or emotional disorder
• Meets all of the medical and disability requirements for Supplemental Security Income

The assistance payments can begin as soon as the adoption is finalized.

Contact your adoption assistance worker or post-adoption services contact for information regarding process, eligibility, availability, and duration of services.

To learn about tax credits, visit the IRS.

More for grants and loans options can be found at Childwelfare.gov.

For questions regarding family law or Tennessee adoption laws, contact the Law Office of Michael Craig and we’ll be glad to assist you.